Media excellence finalists named

A TOTAL of 49 finalists have been chosen for 13 different categories in the first-ever Cebu Media Excellence Awards organized by Globe Telecom.

The search was launched by Globe to honor the members of the media who made a mark in the Cebu media scene.

The categories include reporter of the year for radio, television, and print; feature story of the year for radio, television, and print; radio broadcaster of the year; blogger of the year; and columnist of the year.

“We are very pleased and overwhelmed with the response to the first Cebu Media Awards. It was really a challenge as there are so many commendable entries that are worthy as finalists,” said Globe corporate communications head Yoly Crisanto.

For the reporter of the year category, the finalists are: for radio, Astra Zina Logarta and Elias Bolonos, both from DyHP RMN Cebu; for television, Patricia Andrea Pateña of TV 5 and Alan Domingo of GMA 7. Domingo also has four entries in the feature story of the year category-Education, Balik Eskwela, Baha, and Modern Human Trafficking; and for print, Mia Abellana-Aznar and Katlene Cacho of Sun.Star Cebu (business & entrepreneurship category); Bernadette Parco and Princess Dawn Felicitas of Sun.Star Cebu, Cris Evert Lato of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Marian Christie Codilla of Cebu Daily News, Brenda Batuto of Banat News (environment and disaster response); Princess Dawn Felicitas and Jujemay Awit of Sun.Star Cebu, Carmel Loise Matus, Candeze Mongaya, and Ador Vincent Mayol of Cebu Daily News, and Lesley Vestil of The Freeman (governance and social progress category); Katlene Cacho and Mia Abellena-Azar of Sun.Star Cebu, and Ador Vincent Mayol of Cebu Daily News (information and communications technology category); Rebelander Basilan and Jujemay Awit of Sun.Star Cebu, Sanden Anadia of Banat News, and Ador Vincent Mayol of Cebu Daily News (youth and education category).

The feature story of the year finalists include three entries from Atty. Alan Piloton and Aida Tampus of DyHP-RMN’s Dream Ko Kalambuan Mo! program—Obra Negosyo featuring Leah Mayol’s Bibingka in Mandaue City; Obra Negosyo Eskwela, Career Guidance, Ongoing Skills Training through Tesda with Sec. Joel Villanueva; and DMDP available programs and career guidance with DMDP Chief Fidel Magno.

The nominees for the broadcaster of the year category include Atty. Ruphil Bañoc of DyHP RMN Cebu, Juril Patiño of Bombo Radyo Cebu and Mars Mosqueda Jr. of DyRC.

The blogger of the year finalists are Vernon Joseph Go (vernongo.com), Jaysee John Pingkian (jaysee.me), Narciso Tapia (cebumd.com), Bert Padilla (cebutechblogger.com) and Nancy Cudis (nancycudis.com).

The feature story of the year finalists are Outbreak: Stemming the Tide of Aids (three-part feature); Waterless, Watershed, Wastewater; and Lives on the Line by Linette Ramos-Cantalejo, Bernadette Parco and Cherry Ann Lim of Sun.Star Cebu; Betrayal of Trust by Bernadette Parco of Sun.Star Cebu; K to 12: The Longer Journey Begins by Michael Angelo Gallego, Junapril Dayao, Jeffrey John Bungcasan and Joannes Sima Vale of The Freeman; and Puso: More Than Hanging Rice by Marigold Lebumfacil of The Freeman.

Sun.Star’s Erma Cuizon, Juan Mercado, Bong Wenceslao, Mayette Tabada, and Melanie Lim are the finalists for columnist of the year category.

Punongbayan & Araullo, the auditing firm of the Cebu Media Excellence Awards validated the list of finalists.

The awarding ceremonies will be held at the Salon de España, Casino Español de Cebu at 10 a.m. on Sept. 18, in time with the celebration of the Cebu Press Freedom Week.